Why I Left

Send a message to the show Adamaka Ajaelo had the kind of corporate career many people work years to build. She worked in people analytics and strategic workforce planning, helping major companies understand future talent needs, workforce shifts, and capability gaps. But the more she measured the future of work, the more clearly she saw who was being left out of it. In this episode of Why I Left,...

Send a message to the show What happens when the system you helped build no longer reflects the person you have become? Dr. Jessica Herbert knows that question from the inside. She left the same career twice, first to step away from law enforcement, then later to move beyond public safety analytics toward leadership transformation. Jessica’s path spans law enforcement, federal task force work, dat...

Send a message to the show What happens when the life you built still works, but no longer fits? For Kjell van Zoen, that question became impossible to ignore during a conversation about scaling a business in a direction that looked successful on paper but felt wrong internally. Kjell is a leadership coach, organizational development practitioner, and guide for people navigating personal and profe...

Send a message to the show Dana T. Weekes had built the kind of career many people work years to reach. As a lawyer and policy advocate, she worked on complex legislative and regulatory issues, represented major clients, and became known for high-stakes problem solving. But behind the success, she was exhausted, disconnected, and losing touch with her own voice. In this conversation, Dana shares w...

Send a message to the show Some careers do more than give you a job. They give you structure, identity, mission, and a sense of belonging. For retired Lieutenant Colonel Oak McCulloch, leaving the Army meant more than stepping away from a role. It meant learning who he was without the uniform. In this conversation, Brian talks with Oak about his transition out of military service, the grief of lea...

Send a message to the show Money is rarely just about numbers. For Kara Stevens, founder of The Frugal Feminista, money was tied to avoidance, shame, family stories, ambition, risk, and the question of what it really means to have enough. In this conversation, Kara shares how she moved from debt and financial avoidance to helping women heal their relationship with money. Before building The Frugal...

Send a message to the show Geoffrey Roche left corporate healthcare after realizing that professional success could not come at the expense of personal authenticity. His decision to step away from Siemens Healthineers came during a profound period of identity, courage, and recalibration. Geoffrey is a nationally recognized voice in healthcare leadership, education, workforce strategy, and the futu...

Send a message to the show Gretchen Andrew left Google with just $5,000, no art degree, and no clear roadmap. Years later, her work, Facetune Portraits, now lives inside the permanent collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art. In this episode of Why I Left, Gretchen shares how she walked away from one of the most prestigious jobs in tech, taught herself painting online, and pioneered “Searc...

Send a message to the show At the height of a successful career in Hollywood, Steven Puri was working on some of the biggest film franchises in the world. The path forward was clear. Bigger titles. Bigger budgets. More recognition. But something didn’t sit right. What happens when you realize the system you’re succeeding in no longer reflects your values? For Steven, that moment came when he saw f...

Send a message to the show She had the career people chase. And still chose to leave. Karlyn Kieffer spent years in television news before realizing the work no longer aligned with how she wanted to live. What followed was a shift away from visibility and toward impact. Now an executive coach and founder of Pro Tip Partners, Karlyn helps leaders communicate with clarity, think on their feet, and l...

Send a message to the show He had stability, leadership, and influence inside one of the largest healthcare systems in the country. And he still chose to leave. Dr. Adam Carewe is a practicing physician and clinical informaticist who built a reputation for driving innovation from within. But over time, he realized the system couldn’t move at the pace he believed healthcare needed. In this episode,...

Send a message to the show Aundrea Cline-Thomas spent 15 years as an Emmy-winning journalist in top markets like New York and Philadelphia before making the decision to walk away. Because she realized she was operating far below her full capacity. In this episode, Aundrea shares what led to that realization, the internal conflict of leaving something she worked so hard for, and how she approached...

Send a message to the show Farah Hussain spent more than a decade building a successful career at PayPal. From the outside, her trajectory looked like momentum. Promotions. Influence. Global impact. But internally, something had shifted. In this episode, Farah shares the moment that changed everything. A quiet realization during a coaching session that made the burnout disappear and revealed the w...

Send a message to the show Kevin Schmiegel founded Hiring Our Heroes and helped reshape veteran employment in America. At the height of its success, he walked away. Behind the hiring fairs, White House partnerships, and corporate coalitions was a leader working 80-hour weeks and running on empty. Kevin shares what it cost to build a national movement and what happened after he left. Depression. Id...

Send a message to the show When your boss finds your side hustle, what do you do? Nicaila Matthews Okome received the “We need to talk” email while working at NPR. HR got involved. Screenshots were printed. Her ambition was suddenly under scrutiny. That moment forced a decision: shrink or build. Nicaila is the founder of Side Hustle Pro, a top-ranked entrepreneurship podcast with over 10 million d...

Send a message to the show Stephen A. Hart left a six-figure corporate leadership role after doctors warned him about the physical toll of chronic stress. What looked like success on paper was quietly becoming unsustainable. In this conversation, Stephen shares how burnout, high blood pressure, and a cardiologist’s warning forced him to confront what his career was really costing him. He opens up...

Send a message to the show Loneliness at work is rising. And it is a structural issue. In this episode, Tracy Brower, PhD, returns to Why I Left to unpack the growing disconnection inside modern organizations. Fifty percent of people globally report feeling lonely. Leaders feel stretched thin. Teams feel unseen. Tracy is a sociologist and Vice President of Workplace Insights at Steelcase. She has...

Send a message to the show Most people think quitting is the story. It isn’t. Before people leave their jobs, something usually happens first. A pause. A realization. A moment that makes it impossible to keep going the same way. Five years ago, Dr. Anthony Klotz coined The Great Resignation. But the real story was never about quitting. It was about clarity. In the Season 5 premiere of Why I Left ,...

Send a message to the show After 100 episodes, one truth stands out. Leaving is rarely about quitting. It is about alignment. In this season five launch, Brian Aquart reflects on what a hundred conversations with leaders, founders, and operators have revealed about career transitions and identity shifts. What changes when success no longer fits. What it costs to stay too long. And why discipline,...

Send a message to the show On the Season 4 finale of Why I Left, Brian sits down with Craig Whitely, better known as Craig the Barber, who shares his inspiring journey from the world of finance to becoming an award-winning barber and founder of Burke Avenue, a premium mens grooming line. Discover how a passion for barbering, ignited by a simple gift from his father, led Craig to leap from bankings...

Send a message to the show Brian sits down with Jordana Cole, founder of Ignited LLC. Jordana shares her courageous decision to leave behind a successful corporate career and follow her passion for igniting leadership and transformation. Discover how her trailblazing path, from breaking barriers in her hometown to leading learning and development initiatives, helped her find her true calling.  Jor...

Send a message to the show Brian sits down with Lori Eberly, founder of Radius Executive Coaching and co-author of "Fuckery." Lori shares her compelling journey from hospice social worker to leadership development expert, revealing how grief, transition, and trust shape meaningful career change. Discover practical, neuroscience-backed strategies for navigating loss in your professional l...

Send a message to the show Ready to break free from a traditional career path and reignite your purpose? Brian welcomes Scott Mason, the Myth Slayer, who reveals his journey from high-powered attorney to transformational coach for lawyers. Discover how Scott leverages timeless Greek mythology to help professionals unshackle themselves from limiting beliefs, conquer professional burnout, and reclai...

Send a message to the show Brian sits down with Chase Sterling, U.S. Army veteran, founder of Wellbeing Think Tank, and Principal Consultant at HHP Cultures. Chase shares her inspiring journey from overcoming adversity in her youth to thriving as a workplace wellbeing expert. Discover how Chases own experiences with chronic pain and career pivots fueled her mission to build resilient, supportive w...

Send a message to the show In this powerful episode of Why I Left, Brian Aquart sits down with Zhou Fang, Founder of Intersectional Group and host of the Intersection Podcast. Zhou shares her journey from immigrant tech professional to social justice entrepreneur, highlighting the role of intersectionality in equity and inclusion work. Discover how her lived experiences inspire her consulting, the...